Woodland High School in rural Streator will host prom for students who pass COVID-19 tests

By testing students twice for COVID-19 leading up to the event, Woodland administrators believe they’ve come up with an idea to conduct a traditional prom safely for their students without causing an outbreak.

Prom is scheduled for Saturday, May 1.

Each student who plans to attend will receive a COVID-19 test at Woodland the Fridays before the event on Friday, April 23, and Friday, April 30. Students must have both tests come back negative to be able to attend.

Only students from Woodland will be allowed to attend the prom.

The plan has been developed with coordination with the Livingston County Health Department.

The prom will be hosted at Woodland High School with the showcase of all attendees, grand march, naming of king and queen outdoors in front of the school building. Parents may take photos, but they will be required to social distance.

A dinner will be provided from Bernardi’s and attendees may eat with their date at tables spread out among the courtyard, small gym and large gym.

Dancing will be allowed as normal.

A post-prom event — yet to be determined — also will be conducted.

“These plans have been developed over this past week and still have some fine tuning,” said Woodland Superintendent Ryan McGuckin.

Woodland is among the first schools, along with Streator High School, to announce an alternative plan to conduct a prom during the pandemic. Streator High School plans to host an outdoor prom, closing the street adjacent to the school’s front entrance.